Sony Gives Users Control of Digital Entertainment With New High-End Desktops

For PC-savvy consumers who are not content to sit back and watch, Sony Electronics (SEL) today introduced its fall VAIO® RZ series desktop PCs that make users part of the action.

Running on Microsoft's Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2004 operating system -- augmented by Sony's own Giga Pocket® hardware and exclusive suite of multimedia software -- the new VAIO desktops are aimed squarely at digital media enthusiasts who want to take an active role in their entertainment options.

"VAIO PCs have always been about more than just viewing or listening to music, photos, video or even TV on a PC. VAIO computer users want to create, manage, edit and share their own digital content," said Bob Ishida, president of SEL's VAIO of America organization. "By joining our software and hardware with an operating system that was built on the common goal of digital entertainment, we can give users more flexibility and control than ever before."

Sony's Giga Pocket engine powers the PC's entertainment functions. Its MPEG2 encoder allows users to convert old family movies on analog tape to a digital format. And Sony's exclusive Click to DVD™ authoring software offers real-time encoding and variable bit capabilities for quick, professional-looking DVDs. Dual-format DVD burning drives ensure no-hassle DVD creation.

The Giga Pocket engine TV tuner allows for Sony-quality TV viewing on the PC, while the Media Center user interface guides users through selecting, playing, pausing and recording TV programming. Television shows can also be easily recorded to DVD for later viewing on a DVD player or other PC by way of the Click to DVD™ software option which has been integrated into the operating system.

Ready, Set, Network

In addition to deciding when and where to enjoy their digital content, VAIO PC users can also decide on which device they want their content played. With Sony's exclusive VAIO Media™ networking software, content stored on an RZ desktop can be shared with other PCs (running the Windows XP operating system) on a home network. And, with the addition of Sony's RoomLink™ Network Media Receiver, that wired or wireless home network can be expanded to include a big screen TV or home theater system.

Standard on all RZ series PCs is the VAIO Software Creation Suite, including Sony's own PictureGear Studio™, SonicStage™ and DVgate Plus™ applications for managing and editing digital photos, music and video files. Each PC has multiple USB 2.0 ports and two i.LINK® (IEEE 1394) ports to connect compatible multimedia devices.

Starting at about $1,600, the RZ series also includes the latest Intel® Pentium® 4 processors with Hyper-Threading technology and nVidia® GeForce4 FX class graphics cards for high-end precision graphics. They will be available next month at retail and online at www.sonystyle.com .

For further information, please contact: Valerie Motis of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-8016, valerie.motis@am.sony.com; or Colleen Cavanaugh of The Hoffman Agency, +1-770-448-2661, ccavanaugh@hoffman.com, for Sony Electronics Inc.

SOURCE: Sony Electronics Inc.

CONTACT: Valerie Motis of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-8016,
valerie.motis@am.sony.com; or Colleen Cavanaugh of The Hoffman Agency,
+1-770-448-2661, ccavanaugh@hoffman.com, for Sony Electronics Inc.

Web site: http://www.sonystyle.com/